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Tottenham Hotspur v Everton (2018-19)
| next = }} Tottenham Hotspur v Everton was a match which took place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday 12 May 2019. Champions League finalists Tottenham sealed a fourth-place finish in the Premier League as they ended their campaign with an entertaining draw with Everton. Tottenham knew a point was enough to secure one of the Champions League places for a fourth successive season under manager Mauricio Pochettino, but Spurs missed the opportunity to record back-to-back third-place finishes as Chelsea were held by Leicester. Eric Dier capitalised on poor Everton defending to open the scoring after just three minutes as he was given ample time and space to convert Erik Lamela's corner. The visitors recovered well from their slow start but took until the 69th minute to level through Theo Walcott's fine finish. Cenk Tosun put Everton ahead three minutes later, but Christian Eriksen's sublime free-kick after 75 minutes earned Spurs the point they required. The result sees Everton match their eighth-place finish of the previous campaign in Marco Silva's first season in charge. A fourth consecutive top-four finish in the Premier League is Tottenham's best run in the competition since 1964. Add to that the possibility of European triumph and Mauricio Pochettino, manager of a club who spent no money on players this season, continues to achieve the miraculous. Spurs players could have been forgiven on Sunday for being lost in "a dream" - the word used by Pochettino to describe the aftermath of his side's semi-final comeback against Ajax courtesy of Lucas Moura's hat-trick on Wednesday, completed in the 96th minute and delivering Tottenham's first ever Champions League final. Man of the moment Moura was cheered by the home crowd with every touch, as Spurs seized the early initiative against a lukewarm Everton through Dier's close-range finish. The Champions League final, against Liverpool, is still three weeks away and Spurs appeared determined to maintain their momentum at their new stadium having endured a terrible recent run in the league. The hosts eased off, however, allowing Everton a route back into the game. It took two preventable goals in three minutes from the visitors for Spurs to refocus. And it was Eriksen, absent for much of the game, who stepped up to deliver a moment of quality from his free-kick to ensure Tottenham would not depart for Madrid with defeat. Manager Pochettino has said he would be "stupid" to stay at the club if he's expected to maintain his current levels of success without the club changing the way it operates, and this campaign - regardless of the outcome in three weeks' time - means Spurs must do whatever it takes to keep the Argentine at the club. "I want to congratulate my players, they are superheroes," said Pochettino. "I feel so proud but we have not finished our season. We have three weeks to prepare for the final, which will be one of the most important games in our history. The characteristic of this season is never giving up. The team's spirit has been fantastic." A positive concluding chapter to Silva's first season with the Toffees ensured his side equalled their eighth place under Sam Allardyce following an unsettled 2017-18 campaign. A bright start to life under the Portuguese filled many with optimism, however a striking mid-season lull reminiscent of Silva's previous Premier League season at Watford rightly drew concern among fans. Yet their closing form has been inspired, with victories over Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal in a run that has seen them suffer just two defeats in their final 11 league games. But Everton, unable to catch Wolves in seventh before kick-off, were punished for a lethargic opening 20 minutes at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They survived persistent attacks from the hosts to remain in the contest until Bernard's testing low shot signalled a change in momentum. Bernard and Lucas Digne linked up effortlessly down the left throughout but it was Walcott driving in from the opposite side that brought Everton level. That was the start of a frantic period which saw Tosun eventually bundle the ball over the line before Eriksen left Jordan Pickford with little hope of keeping out Spurs' second. Last year, it was a resolute Burnley that prevented Everton taking the 'best of the rest' spot outside the top six, while this year it is an inspired Wolves. It's 34 Premier League away matches since Everton last defeated one of the established top-six sides so success next season must surely be judged on Silva's ability to close the gap with the league's heavy-hitters. "To be a top six club in this country now is really tough," said Silva. "We must be realistic for our team. We must work hard and do everything perfectly. We will try, our job is to work really hard every day and improve what we did the season before. I have no doubts we are a stronger team than at the start of the season." Match Details Eriksen |goals2 = Walcott Tosun |stadium = Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London |attendance = 60,124 |referee = Andre Marriner }} } Mauricio Pochettino |} |valign="top"| |valign="top" width="50%"| |} See also *2018-19 Premier League: Match day 38 Final League Table External links *Match report at BBC.co.uk Category:2018-19 Match Day info Category:Tottenham Hotspur F.C. matches Category:Everton F.C. matches Category:2018–19 Premier League Matches